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Astrophysics > Constellations and Stars > Flashcards

Constellations and Stars Flashcards

Unit 1

1
Q

What are the thirteen constellations of the zodiac in order

A 
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpius
Ophiuchus
Sagittarius
Capricornus
Aquarius
Pisces
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2
Q

What does circumpolar imply?

A

Visible all year round at our latitude (all stars within 45 degrees of the North Pole)

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3
Q

What are the Circumpolar constellations?

A 
Ursa minor
Ursa major
Draco
Cepheus
Cassiopeia
Perseus
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4
Q

What is a star from Ursa Minor?

A

Polaris

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5
Q

What is a star from Ursa Major?

A

Mizar and Alcor (binary system)

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6
Q

What is a star in Draco

A

Thuban (the ancient “North star” of the Egyptians)

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7
Q

What is a star in Cepheus?

A

Delta-Cephei

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8
Q

What is special about delta-Cephei?

A

It is a variable star

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9
Q

What shape does Cassiopeia form in the sky?

A

W

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10
Q

What is a star in Perseus?

A

Algol (a variable star)

And the “double cluster” h and X Persei

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11
Q

How far is the order of 200 million kilometers?

A

The inner planets (~1.2 AU)

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12
Q

How big is the solar system?

A

~120 AU

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13
Q

How many stars within 20 light years?

A

17

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14
Q

How big is our Galaxy?

A

Diameter of 100000 light-years

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15
Q

How many satellite galaxies does the Milky Way have?

A

2 of them known: called the Magellanic clouds

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16
Q

How big are groups of galaxies?

A

~5 million light-years

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17
Q

What is the nearest Galaxy to us?

A

Andromeda Galaxy (at 2.5 million light-years)

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18
Q

How many galaxies in our local group?

A

About 50

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19
Q

On what scale are superclusters of galaxies?

A

About 100 million light-years (About a hundred thousand galaxies across)

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20
Q

How big is the observable universe?

A

Diameter of 90 billion light-years

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21
Q

What is the name of our supercluster

A

Local Supercluster (or Virgo Supercluster)

22
Q

How many stars can you see with your naked eyes?

A

About 5000

23
Q

What kind of star is Arcturus?

A

A yellow giant

24
Q

In what constellation is Arcturus found?

25
Q

What is a star in Virgo?

26
Q

What is a star in Leo?

27
Q

What is the spring sector?

A

Sector 2: Bootes, Virgo, Libra, Leo

28
Q

What is a astronomical object found in Hercules?

A

M13 (a globular cluster)

29
Q

What is a star in Scorpius?

A

Antares (a red giant)

30
Q

What astronomical object does Sagittarius have?

A

M8 (the Lagoon Nebula)

31
Q

What are the constellations seen in the summer?

A

Hercules, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Scorpius

32
Q

What are the constellations seen in the summer-fall?

A

Cygnus, Lyra, Aquilla, Delphine, Capricornus, Aquarius

33
Q

What astronomical objects are in Cygnus?

A

Deneb, Albireo (binary system), Cgynus X-1 (black hole), and the Veil Nebula (a supernova remnant)

34
Q

What astronomical objects are in Lyra?

A

Vega, beta-Lyrae (an eclipsing binary), M57 (the ring nebula)

35
Q

What major star is in Aquilla?

36
Q

What three stars form the summer triangle?

A

Deneb, Vega and Altair

37
Q

How many sectors are there?

38
Q

What constellations are in the fall sector?

A

Pegasus, Andromeda, Triangulum, Pisces, Aries, Cetus

39
Q

What are some astronomical objects in Andromeda (constellation)?

A

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and M32 and M110 (satellite galaxies)

40
Q

What is M33

A

A spiral Galaxy in Triangulum

41
Q

What major star is in Cetus?

A

Mira (a variable star)

42
Q

What constellations are mostly seen during the winter?

A

Auriga, Taurus Gemini, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Orion

43
Q

What main star does Auriga have?

44
Q

What astronomical objects does Taurus have?

A

Aldebaran, the Hyades and Pleiades (open clusters), and M1 (the crab nebula, a supernova remnant)

45
Q

What major two stars are in Gemini?

A

Castor and Pollox

46
Q

What main star is in Canis Major?

47
Q

In which constellation is Procyon located?

A

Canis Minor

48
Q

Which constellation is Betelgeuse and Rigel located?

49
Q

What constellation is in the winter-spring sector?

50
Q

Where is the horse head nebula located?

51
Q

What open cluster is in Cancer?

Astrophysics (3 decks)

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